Gymnastic apparatus



(No Model.)

T. BESSING. GYMNASTIG APPARATUS.

Patented Apr. 4, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

THEODORE BESSING, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

GYM NASTIC APPARATUS.

SPECIFIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,912, dated April 4, 1893.

Application filed May 2, 1892. $erial1l0- 43L518- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE Bnssnve, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and gymnastic apparatus which can be employed in a school room Without obstructing the same and which will enable the physical culturist or teacher to give proper instructions to a large class of pupils in hand, chest and parallel-bar movements having them all in his view and performing the same movements at the same time, thereby, in a few minutes giving to a class of a hundred pupils, more or less, exercises or movements which with former appliances would require the attention of the teacher for a period of several days. This I accomplish by the means hereinatter described.

My invention relates to gymnastic apparatus for use in school rooms and consists in the combination with a series of school desks arranged in parallel rows, of a series of removable combined hand, chest and parallel bars arranged respectively upon the ends of such desks and means for detachably securing such bars to the desks thus producing within the school room at slight cost without permanent obstruction, and without impairing the ordinary utilities of the school furniture and the available space of the room, the gymnastic apparatus above outlined, vizz-a series of short hand, chest and parallel bars arranged in pairs in suitably supported parallel rows with spaces between them.

My invention also comprises the specific combinations of parts hereinafter set forth whereby the said hand, chest and parallel bars are made conveniently attachable anddetachable to and from the desks so that when it is not desired to use the gymnastic appliances, they may be conveniently removed from the desks and stored out of the way of the pupils.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a fragmental perspective view of a series of school desks provided with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plain front elevation showing two desks with my detachable gymnastic appliance attached thereupon. Portions of the desks are broken away to expose the attachments. Fig. 3 is a detail of one form of such attachment. Fig. i is a top View of the attachment shown in Fig. 3 and the bracket for securing it to the desk. Fig. 5 is a view of the appliance as shown in the middle portion of Fig. 2.

A is the school desk.

B is the desk-bracket provided with upwardly projecting lugs 12 and with screw holes 0 through which screws d may be passed to screw the desk-bracket to the top of the desk.

E E are the bars.

F is the bar bracket consistingof the standard f the hanger 9 adapted to attach upon the desk bracket and the brace 72 adaptedto rest against the desk frame.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 4 the hanger g is provided with suitable holes 1' arranged to receive the lugs 12 of the desk-bracket B; but if desired, the hangers may be of a hook shape as illustrated by the bracket shown in Fig. 5 and by the two inner brackets shown in Fig. 2. The parts of Fig. 5 which correspond with parts of Figs. 3 and 4 are marked with corresponding letters with the addition of an indice.

In Figs. 3 and i I have shown the desk bracket arranged to be secured to the desk by screws but it may be cast integral with the frame of the desk as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5.

In practice the bar brackets are adjusted as shown in the drawings and the pupils take their stand between the rows of desks thus bringing the bars at their sides to be grasped by the hands. Various movements can be performed and will readily be suggested to any gymnast; such for instance as leaning forward and grasping the bars immediately in front and then performing back and arm movements.

Now having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters 5 Patent, is

The combination of the school-desk, the desk bracket secured to the desk; the bar bracket consisting of the standard, the hanger adapted to attach upon the desk bracket, and the brace depending from the hanger and ar- 10 ranged to rest against the desk frame, and the hand bar secured to the standard. THEODORE BESSING.

Witnesses:

JAMES R. TOWNSEND, F. M. TOWNSEND. 

